Windows
by the-wicked-zutarians
Summary: Sequel to Doors. She had said she would come, and she had. This was one time that Azula didn't lie; she had said she would follow. Sokka laughed at the irony. The one time they wish she was lying, the sadistic princess wasn't.


Disclaimer: I own 42 snow globes, but sadly not Avatar: The Last Airbender. I am also not affiliated with Nickalodeon Studios and claim to own nothing.

Summary: She had said she would come, and she had. This was one time that Azula didn't lie; she had said she would follow. Sokka laughed at the irony. The one time they wish she was lying, the sadistic princess wasn't.

Rating: T

A/N: ok so this was supposed to be a one-shot, but lots of people liked it, and I felt a need to continue…

Windows

Her red robes swished dangerously around her hips. Gone was the strict military style walk that had intimidated even the burliest of men in the past. The girl seemed so different without the dominating stride to get her where she was going. Now in its place now there was the gentle swish of hips, and the subtle movement... something that only a woman could do. And the woman in question did this well. Actually she did this very very well. She placed one perfectly manicured hand on one of those very elegantly swishing hips and then she stopped gliding foreword. She let the gauzy dress swish for a few moments around her ankles and drape itself over her long and lean frame perfectly, accenting her rather spectacular form. Her signature smirk swept across her face only now where brutality often had been there was now a coy seductive element. It was impossible not to see the beauty there, the absolute perfection, and the raw, hard and obvious sexiness about her. She knew the effect that perfect expression had. Sokka's mouth went dry. She was there and beautiful and also in very little clothing. He glanced at the stone walls around him, he was still in his bed room at the western air temple… and that meant Azula was in his bedroom too… His tongue flicked out wetting his parched lips.

Sokka eased his form up, propping himself on his elbows instinctively. The muscles in his chest defined themselves because of his position and he realized that he was in the fire-nation pajamas. As always it was warm in the fire nation, even at night, so the garments were really just a pair of pants, leaving his torso completely exposed. Luckily his sheet still covered his chest, so nothing was really out in the open... yet. His mind only then started to function and he realized he should call out or at least run. He should be terrified and start to scream. His sword was right by his bed, he could easily reach them quickly too, but as soon as he thought about grabbing for them the idea repulsed him. The same thing happened when he tried to get up, to move, he just couldn't, and well really more like he wouldn't. It was like he somehow wanted this. Like there was some craving deep in his mind to have her there with him... in his bedroom.

Azula's hand dropped from her hip and played with the folds in her dress. She pulled it this way and that letting the nearly see-through fabric wreak havoc on Sokka's mind. And wreak havoc it did. His thought became muddled once again and thoughts of running or escape flew right out his ears. Sokka pushed himself up further in the bed to get closer and in that act the sheet slipped down and the fabric 

pooled around his hips. Now the chiseled plane of his chest was fully exposed. The muscles were there defined and obvious and now fully visible to whomever happened to be in the room. Azula stopped playing with the fabric and started to move foreword again until she reached the edge of Sokka's bed. The Princess sat slowly right beside his form and using only one finger stroked the muscles pulled tightly over Sokka's chest, Sokka's breathing picked up and he leaned forward, closer to his mortal enemy. Azula too leaned forward bringing their bodies closer. The heat radiating off the pair mixed and their breath mingled. Fingers entwined with each other and slowly, oh so very tantalizingly slowly, they inched closer… they were so close now… so very very close…

o.O

Sokka jolted awake with a start. He was breathing hard and his body was nearly off the edge of the bed. He was drenched in sweat and his sheets were all tangled around him. He sat up, completely confused. Where was Azula? Or, wait… that was a dream….

"Are you okay?" Katara's voice came from the door. The voice startled him as it interrupted his reverie. Katara was standing in the shadows of the door watching her troubled brother. She sounded kind and motherly like always, same old Katara. It must have been a dream. Azula could simply not have been here….Sokka shuddered.

"Yeah." He answered groggily, though the more he thought about it the less he was sure…. was he ok? He had just had a not-so-clean dream about his worst enemy and a nearly see through dress. Does that constitute being "ok"? Maybe. Then again, only if you were to call it a nightmare, and with the way Sokka's breathing picked up and the feeling in the pit of him stomach, he couldn't bring himself to call it that. It was a dream, yes, it was also a fantasy. The thought made Sokka shiver once again.

"Kat... how's Suki? Is she alright?" Sokka asked. It had been two weeks since she had been pulled barely alive from Azula's maniacal grip. She'd been progressing but her recovery, Sokka feared, would never truly be complete. Even if every cut healed without a scar and all the burns and bruises faded into the skin with no mark or sign whatsoever to the past injury there, Suki may never fully heal mentally from her time in the prison. That scared Sokka.

"Fine. She'll be fine Sokka, just give her some more time." Katara looked at her agitated brother sympathetically and spun from the doorway off to make food for the other, not so disturbed members of the gAang.

O-O

Azula stalked down the ornate hallway. Even the click of her regulation boots radiated anger and power. No one was going to mess with her today, and she knew it.

"You!" She barked at the first guard she came across. "Go. Go and prepare a war balloon to depart from landing station three in fifteen minutes. Tell no one who has sent you. If you do I will know who told. I will also know exactly where to find you, your parents, you wife and your daughter, Likia, who just turned six." She smirked as a look of pure terror streaked across the young guards face. "Off with you then!" She dismissed him, and he bolted for the door. Azula smirked and kept on walking.

She rounded the corner and a bubbly pink bundle cart-wheeled over to her.

"Hey 'Zula!" Ty Lee grinned from her upside-down handstand. She was always in a good mood but today seemed particularly bad. She didn't notice the sneer or the precision in her movements that gave away Azula's mood. Azula's mood was fury.

It had been two full weeks since the Water tribe warrior had infiltrated the dungeons, stolen a kiss, and left with her very favorite prisoner. She had been recuperating since from the slash he had given her and the slow progress her body was making only made her angrier. The healers had now declared her fit to go after him, and it was time. Time for some serious revenge. Azula knew where they were, and she had left them in peace until now. However the truce was over; she needed to have a 'chat' with Sokka. What an interesting conversation that would be.

"So, 'Zula, what-chya thinkin' 'bout" Ty Lee teased. Azula had been forced to tell everyone about her humiliation. She had been made to recite the story over and over again. Thus, Ty Lee knew where the Princesses mind was, but she liked to poke Azula's buttons. Ty Lee liked to poke most people's buttons.

"Revenge." The fire-bending prodigy answered and then stalked off down the hallway without another word.

"Wait! When are we leaving?!" Ty Lee called out eager to help with her dastardly deeds.

"You're not. I'll be back soon. Before dinner probably." Azula flipped her bangs back and rounded the corner onto the war balloon platforms. She made her way to three where a ready craft waited and smirked. Today was going to be a good day.

O -

Sokka sat around the fire, eating breakfast with the rest of the group, minus Suki. They were quiet, not because they had nothing to say, but more because they all had their mouths too full of food to really speak. Aang swallowed the last of his rice and broke the silent chewing's dominance.

"So, what are we doing today?" He asked, bright eyed and bushy tailed to get going on something... on anything really.

"No idea." Toph added, always eager to be helpful.

"I thought we would run some more advanced forms this afternoon." Zuko put in all business.

"Hmm, yes, that might be a good chance to practice my healing. Not that I haven't had enough recently trying to reverse the damage done to Suki by your homicidal sister!" Katara glared at Zuko, making him feel as small as the grain of rice he was currently crushing between his molars.

"Sokka?" Aang queried eager to know what the more interesting of the group members (and possibly one less likely to provoke an all out bending battle)had up his sleeve.

"Huh?" That was Sokka's brilliant answer. He was to distracted by the red dot growing in the sky and his mounting psychological problems to really have paid any mind to the question.

"Plans for tod..." Aang cut himself short noticing the obvious panic spreading across Sokka's features.

"Plans? Yeah, I've got a few, like RUNNING FROM A PSYCHOTIC PRINCESS!" He shouted the rather blunt warning and pointed to the now clear war balloon floating through the sky. The occupant's features weren't clear, but Sokka knew his time was up. She had said she would come, and she had. This was one time that Azula didn't lie; she had said she would follow. Sokka laughed at the irony. The one time they wish she was lying, the sadistic princess wasn't.

The group sprang into action. They ran with new purpose and their previously tired or board expressions were now full of worry and apprehension. They gathered their supplies and put out the fire. Zuko and Aang grabbed the sleeping bags and other things that were lying around and threw them to Toph who was earth-bending them on to Appa. Katara gathered the food and saw to it that Suki was safely on; she over saw the general mayhem that ensued too.

"We're not gonna get out in time." Sokka commented face tensed up in thought. He was staring at the balloon, dread filling his belly where his not eaten rice should have been. He noted the distance and the speed. She was coming fast, and they were working fast, just not fast enough.

"He's right." Aang agreed, seeing the same problem Sokka had.

"I know." Sokka piped up "I'll stay here. You guys gather the other stuff and take off. Hide under the temple and finish packing, then come back and see if I'm still here to save." Sokka boldly offered himself up as a distraction. After some reluctant arguing, everyone agreed, and soon they were all on the fuzzy beast and taking off from the temple. All except Sokka that is.

TT

Azula saw that the others had left. Oh yes she knew they were gone. She also saw they had left Sokka behind. She frowned. He must have known she'd be coming and offered to stay behind to save his friends. That was a disappointment for she had really wanted to see the look on his pretty little girlfriend's face when she showed up looking for her lover. Not to mention to see Sokka's reaction with his 'family' around.

However the disappointment was only momentary. Sokka wasn't likely to even bother listening to her if she came in while the others were around. He was even less likely to listen if she killed them... maybe this wasn't so bad after all, she thought.

X . X

Azula landed the war balloon easily in the open space at the center of the temple that Sokka was currently standing in. He stared at the woman in front of him. His memory was apparently very flawed since it hadn't done her justice. She wasn't just perfect, oh no, she was utterly flawless. He found himself drawn back to the evil princess, as thought there was a rope attaching the two, even though his survival and the survival of his entire group of friends (which happened to include the Avatar) hinged on his staying in control of that side of his consciousness...

"Hello." Azula's voice was smooth and sultry as always. The signature smirk that was a constant on her face once again resumed its position. Just like in his dream she moved foreword, then stopped placing one hand on her hip. Only this time she was in armor and her body was tensed for a fight she had no misconceptions about their relationship.

"What do you want?" It was barely even a question, more like a command for answers. Sokka hardened himself. He would not be pulled in again, no that was one rope he was cutting.

"Hmm, let's see. There's the avatar, my traitorous bother's head on a stick, world domination...but really now... Well there are a few things I want..."She cooed suggestively. Sokka gulped. How had that question sparked this conversation? The rope he was attempting to snap gave a vicious tug on him. He had to get away, to brake free. He looked away, anywhere but at the princess. Sokka's eyes momentarily darted to a burst of white fluff that had appeared over the edge of the temple. It was Appa's fur and with Appa at this particular moment came everything he loved and held dear. At that moment they were too close. Azula would see soon. If she hadn't already.

Sokka instantly schooled his features to show no emotion. He resumed glaring at Azula who was currently examining her impeccable nails. She hadn't seen. He had gotten lucky this time, but he wouldn't again. Wait. That rope that had been giving him so much grief had to work two ways. Maybe it was high time that he pulled a little on her side of the rope too...

"You want me then?" Sokka questioned pointing a finger at his chest. Azula's head snapped up at the abrupt approach Sokka had taken. Apparently he had been doing some digging into his conscience, she thought. The same rope Sokka loathed pulled dangerously at Azula. Sokka saw that he had her attention and made his move. He had to get her away after all.

"Come and get me!" He shouted and bolted from the room. He knew the nefarious princess would be right behind him, so he had to run. He had to run fast. Her boots clicked down the hall after him. They pierced the otherwise perfect silence with startling rapidness. She would catch up all too soon. She also started to send sparks of lightning down the hallway. They nipped at his heels and urged him onward.

Sokka flew down the hallways dodging blue fire. He pulled tirelessly on that rope that tied Azula to him, he needed her attention. He twisted and turned through the now familiar halls not really realizing or caring where he was going. The stones passed in a blur of cracks and windows. Doors started to race by on both sides and he realized where his feet had taken him. He was in the sleeping quarters. He had no time to contemplate how he got there though. Katara had packed his sword and Azula's lightning was dangerously close. While he ran though, his mind did consider how and why he had gone there.

It was just that this was where I usually go! Not that I want Azula in my bed! ROOM, BEDROOM! He thought fervently. He tried to make himself believe it, and he almost did. Almost. He spun through his doorway at last and headed for the opposite wall. There was a window there, but he was too slow. Blue lightening was too close for comfort. There would be no window escape just now, that rope was too tight.

"Got you." The princess was already there in his bedroom. He had been too slow. Smoothly, he turned from the window to face her. The rope gave a sharp tug on both sides and they took an involuntary step towards each other. Azula stopped her flames. A small voice rang out in the back of Sokka's head 'GET OUT OF THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN' it shouted over and over again. He desperately tried to think of a plan.

"So they left you as a distraction then." Azula guessed. She was trying to make small talk. The malicious princess was up to something, and that something was pulling her head out from under the wave of Sokka-amazing-ness that had spilled over her when he turned.

"And if they did?" Sokka responded. He was still thinking up plans for escape. Then Azula took a step forward and the pure beating of his heart drowned out the voice of logic.

"You should tell them its working. You are terribly distracting; in fact I don't think I will even chase the Avatar today, should he stay out of the way." She once again gave a sharp pull on the rope. Azula also started to close the distance between the two of them in the real world. The closer she came and the tighter the rope got, the harder it was for Sokka to pull away and to get out. It was just like his dream. He couldn't turn away. The voice exploded in the back of his mind again, yelling its warning loud and clear. The closer she came though, the louder the beating of his heart got. Louder and louder, until even the loudest screeches coming from what he was beginning to think was his common sense were completely drowned out by its beating.

"Out of the way of what?" Sokka managed to squeak out. He was a little nervous, to say the least. She didn't answer at first. She just drew closer and closer. Finally she was so close that Sokka could feel her breath on him. The voice gave a desperate wail, and it almost surfaced through Sokka's conscience, but yet at the last minute it failed and sank back into the black abyss of forgotten thoughts.

"This..." Azula whispered into Sokka's ear. She leaned in and her tongue darted out along his earlobe. Sokka shivered with pleasure, which caused him to shiver with fear. His common sense shot through the filmy layer Azula had incurred. It shattered the sound proof barrier and filled his mind with its incessant screeching and wails of desperate pleas. However, even as the noise of right increased in his head, Azula drew closer and the beating of his heart doubled its speed. All thoughts of escape vanished. He moved his hand to her face and closed the distance between their mouths easily.

Lips met lips and body crushed against body as the two connected. In both's minds fire works exploded and full armies of trumpets played. They're pulses raced along with their thoughts at top speeds.

Sokka didn't love her. At least not like he loved Suki. She wasn't someone who he wanted to live out his days with or have a family with. He saw her as a warrior. She was the ultimate powerhouse 

female, the greatest of the great. She had power like no one else, and not just because she was the next Fire Lord (probably), but because she oozed it and owned it. She was proud and arrogant. More than that though she was a challenge, something to over come, and Sokka had to admit, the pay off in the end wasn't half bad. He loved the way she crushed everything in her path, yet bowed to him. She bled for no one but she had bled for him. He remembered the jewels of her blood so much like the jewel of her nation, the ruby, sliding down his sword. Then he leaned in more to her full ruby red, her stunning blood red lips deepening the kiss.

They broke apart breathing hard, only to come back for another and another go at it.

No she still didn't love him. She loved the way he was. He was strong. Probably stronger than her even underneath it all. He was smart too. She remembered the fake out kiss and laughed in her mind at the pathetic way she had thirsted for even another of those. She had craved the painful embarrassing kiss that he had given her. These were so much better, so much more powerful. Azula knew that he hated her, after all she hated him, but hate and love were so close it was hard to tell sometimes. She loved him, she hated him. Then the princess realized the truth. She really just hated him; she loved the idea of him. She loved the idea of crushing him too.

The rope went slack, completely loose after the passion that the kiss had brought. Their cravings had been satisfied and it was enough for now. The fog in Sokka's mind finally cleared and the desperate voice flew into the vacated space crying in fury and despair. He had to get out now! Sokka quickly realized he was free; finally able to escape the deranged princess and her iron hold she had over him. He pushed once more against her lips exerting the last of his passion, and broke apart from her. Before she could react he darted to the window. The voice was still shouting in his mind repeating its recurring message.

"SOKKA!" The voice seemed so real. Wait, he thought, that isn't in my mind! That's real!!

"Get out of there!" His sister's voice sounded from below the window where Appa was now waiting. What perfect timing they had. Sokka readied himself to jump only to glance back at Azula. She looked angry her brows knit together in frustration at losing again. She raised her hands as if to shoot lightening, it would kill from this height to fall. However as their eyes connected something changed. She lowered her hand. Sokka leapt from the window and landed on Appa's saddle before he saw her 

reaction, but he could have sworn she had been smirking. He wondered why, but not for long because Aang shouted 'Yip. Yip!" and they flew away from Azula and the temple and what, to everyone but Sokka was a nightmare.

Azula, still standing in the temple, stopped frowning as soon as he was gone and smirked. She once again had seen it in his eyes. The answer to her problems and the answer to her prayers, she had again witnessed the change in him that she needed to see. Last time she had seen the possibility for something. She had known she had gotten to him. This time she saw that she had. Maybe he had closed the door to his heart from her she realized, but she had found the window.


End file.
